Always Time for Tea
by stuck-on-air
Summary: Alice is coming to terms, and Mirana's debating if she should tell Alice about her affections. At least they can talk over tea... or not... One-shot. Malice, obviously Femmeslash.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Alice In Wonderland (2010), it's far too late at night to be doing something this trivial.

**Warning:** CONTAINS MALICE FEMMESLASH! That means, people who do not like reading about a lesbian coupling between Mirana of Marmoreal and Alice Kingsleigh are welcome to stop reading, and are not encouraged to review.

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**Always time for Tea.**

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She was rather aloof, never tying herself down or opening up to any one person or creature. Distant almost. At times the bright, yet impossibly dark, lights within shone so brightly that Alice would stand shocked with wonder at how innocence could be so dark in it's knowledge. On those few, special occasions, Mirana was at work with her potion supplies and it was obvious she felt relaxed and happy. A grin most often accompanied the shining light of her eyes and face, the light which seemed so dark yet so white and pure and which came from within. Alice had seen it the day she'd first met the White Queen. Now having decided to stay in Underland, though, Alice discovered that Mirana rarely allowed her emotions to show through. A little smile here, a nod or two: but rarely did her eyes truly shine. Alice was lucky, she supposed, to see Mirana so open on Frabjous day when the woman was much more like a book, with emotions to be read so easily, then any other day having passed before or after. Mirana's aloofness, perhaps more of shyness, was concerning to Alice-whom was pacing the length of her chamber in Marmoreal. What did she truly feel? How? Pace, pace, pace. Stop. Ponder, ponder: question. Question herself. Question Mirana. Disagree with her head and her heart. Repeat.  
"Who's to say that I feel what I feel?" Alice asked herself whilst pacing, now doubting herself once more: affection-love in particular-is funny that way, "What if-what if this is just a phase? Or-or just some mishap of Underland! How am I to know? And if, by chance, it is then what would she think?" She stopped, "What, if by chance, this is true? What would she think? What does she feel?"  
It was becoming increasingly evident to Alice, that her feelings for the white queen were far more and far deeper and so vastly different then her feelings from others that it led her to believe that she-dare she even think it, dare it even be possible-was in love with Mirana. Were this possible, as she suspected it was, the question would not be why or how but rather a questioning of if Mirana loved her back in the same manner. A question only those with hope bother fathoming. Nonetheless, this questioning was what had led Alice to self doubt, naturally. And it was that self doubt which was so like to lead to her to a more icy state, however, if Mirana did indeed feel the same feelings for Alice as she felt for Mirana, then she would soon show it would she not? And if that were so, would her eyes not shine with the bright light of innocent emotion as they so did when she was at ease? They did not, not from what Alice could tell. She, however, saw Mirana only once a day for perhaps fifteen minutes and often times she was too inthralled by what the woman was saying, how her lips were moving and how intelligent the queen truly was, to pay attention to her eyes. As well, on the occasion that the two did stare into each other's eyes, one would break the contact and look down abruptly. Subsequently, Alice didn't know as there was either not enough time to gather a glimpse or there was entirely too much time and she became lost in the beautiful dark orbs and remembered little else.  
Today would be no different, she supposed, she'd leave soon for tea with Mirana. Arrive on time, and abandon her train of thought for the time then catch it again back in her room later that night after wandering around and speaking to other friends. Alice thought about what things were likely to be discussed at tea that day, and soon found it strange that Mirana always seemed to have time to take tea with Alice. No matter how busy Mirana was, she was always there waiting. It was like a ritual to them, a habit perhaps? No. There was emotion from Alice at least, and she highly doubted Mirana was simply there to pass time. That left her wondering, yet again, was it possible Mirana thought of her as more then a friend? She paced again. Spanning the expanse of her room, finding herself feeling cooped and cornered. Of course, she could go just next door, pop in and see if Mirana was there. Sort things out. Alice really wanted to know, she needed to know. Half the time her heart felt as if it were about to burst from her chest, while the other half of the time it felt empty and hollow. As if life without her love being known, being requited, was empty and hollow and meaningless. A deep gash, a cavity meant to be filled but which never had been. It was sad really. If only Mirana knew of her affections for the other woman! If only she knew how much Alice loved her! Just knowing she knew would make Alice the happiest woman alive.  
The clock struck, and Alice looked at the time, her head whipping to check. It looked as if it was about time for tea, and so Alice left her chambers. Heading down the lively halls of Marmoreal, and out into the gardens where she and Mirana took tea on the days when the weather was pleasant. How many days had they been doing this anyway? How many? Close to two months, Alice supposed. Two months in Underland. Two months, though it seemed so much shorter and yet infinitely longer. Before reaching the table, however, Alice was accosted by Nivens McTwisp. The ever nervous white rabbit was ever the much more nervous, though he seemed intent on not letting Alice pass.  
"Nivens!" She said in greeting to the shaky little rabbit-man, he seemed more twitchy then normal: it was obvious he was doing something he felt could get him in trouble.  
"Alice, j-just the girl I wanted to s-see!" Nivens replied, looking about madly, like Thackery would, Alice wondered if something had been slipped into her poor friend's tea to make him like this, "H-How are you today?"  
"I'm fine thank you," Alice said, grinning, her thoughts abandoned as she tried to push onward into the little glade where she and Mirana always met, "And you?"  
"O-oh, I'm good," The rabbit replied, not letting her pass by standing in her way, his eyes darted back and forth from right to center madly.  
"Could you let me through?" Alice asked politely, curious as to why the rabbit was standing in the midst of the path and as to why he'd stopped her in the first place.  
"I'm afraid n-not Alice," Nivens said quickly, trying to stop the taller girl from passing and failing horribly.  
"What's gotten into you Nivens?" Alice asked, pressing on and into the glade, her voice heavy with concern: while she was not the best of friends with Nivens, she still cared for the rabbit.  
"O-oh dear," The rabbit muttered lowly.  
"If I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to keep me away," Alice said, starting at her normal pace of speaking and ending slowly as she entered the glade and found not only Mirana there, but Tarrant, Mally and Chessur as well.  
She was stunned, shocked really, and said nothing for long enough to hear the last of the conversation before being noticed.  
"Have you told Alice yet, your majesty?" Tarrant asked, his eyes showing him mad as ever, and Mallymkun resting on his shoulder.  
"I have not told her yet," Mirana replied, her eyes defiant but the air of great sadness about her, she looked as if she was about to go off on a great rant of some sort-But Alice cut her off.  
"Told me what?" Alice asked from where she stood, vaguely registering the sound of Nivens fainting behind her, there was much confusion and concern in her eyes.  
While her eyes may have been wide with concern and confusion, most everyone else there's eyes were wide with shock and surprise. None had anticipated Alice arriving a bit early, nor had they anticipated their secret meeting running a bit late. It didn't change the fact that she was there, though, but it surprised them.  
"Alice," Mirana began, her eyes soft-the soft deep color which seemed so inviting even then, and had many a times lured Alice in to hide her in the depths of their rich knowledge.  
Without saying it, everyone else in the garden silently left, and Mirana walked nearer to Alice with them. All walking past the concerned and shocked Alice, except for Chess whom disappeared. None could bare to meet her eyes.  
"You've been keeping secrets?" Alice asked, her brow beginning to furrow, "Why?"  
"Alice please! It's not that simple!" Mirana replied, to no avail, "Yes! I've been keeping secrets, but all are good!  
"But I thought our relationship was better then that, I thought we didn't need to keep secrets no matter how good!" Alice retorted, frustration lacing her voice and biting into Mirana with each syllable,  
"It was for your happiness!" Mirana shouted, her voice sounding weak and frail even to her, she began to shake slightly.  
"What could ever make me unhappy? Tell me!" Alice responded, her pent up emotions rising over the dike in her mind and washing out and over the town which was Mirana's well being-Hurting them both, though.  
Mirana couldn't reply to her champion though, she'd broken into tears and the sobs wracked her body. Never before had Alice shouted at her in such a tone, never before that day had she seen Alice with that much shock clear on her face: never before had she seen that much hurt. As much as Alice was hurting, Mirana was too. She'd tried so very hard to prevent it from happening, she'd tried so much harder to control it and ever so much harder to keep it secret. But love won out, love could not be contained. It could not be prevented, it could not be controlled, and it always managed to come clean and expose itself. Love was not meant to be a secret to those whom were not involved. That was why almost everyone in Marmoreal had seen the growing attraction, had realized that Mirana loved Alice and that it was possible the younger woman loved Mirana. Many had wept tears that day for it meant hope of their ruler settling down happily. But it could not be, would not be, Mirana had not the courage to ruin Alice's happiness by confessing her attraction. Just as Alice had not the courage to ask Mirana, and how she had not had the courage to admit it to herself until recently.  
While Alice was still hurt on some level, she could not bare to see Mirana sob, and quickly went to the queen and pulled her tight.  
"If you won't tell me that, then please, just tell me why it is that you always have time for tea with me," Alice whispered into Mirana's ear, her own eyes tearing up-though no tears would be allowed to fall-, "Just answer me that, please."  
"I cannot, the answers are one and the same," Mirana replied as she let go of Alice and took a step back, trying to avoid hurting her champion with her affections: for love is the most dangerous weapon of them all.  
She could not bare hurt Alice in such a way, and while she was presented with a forked decision, there was clearly only one choice in her mind. She had to let Alice go. She had to let her kooky, wonderful, courageous and clever champion find other love. For she would not do, she was too dangerous for Alice-strong and willful though the woman was. As soon as she realized that, the tears again began to break in streams over the pale stone of her face.  
"If you won't say anything, then I will," Alice said sadly as she reached forward to wipe away Mirana's tears, her blue eyes meeting Mirana's deep brown: couldn't bare to see her cry, it broke her heart into many tiny and sharp pieces, "I love you Mirana, I love you in a way which is completely unacceptable by the standards of society- But I've never really been one to care what society thinks of me, and that's why I'm no longer afraid to tell you that I love you. I will never stop loving you, even if you don't accept me, even if you don't want me. Nothing you can do can make me stop."  
"You mustn't love me Alice!" Mirana replied as Alice latched onto her, holding her tight and secure again, the tears began to ebb and take with them the damage and emotions which had been whirling through Mirana's mind since before she could even remember, "I could never be good enough for you."  
"Never is a long time," Alice replied, her warm breath tickling Mirana's neck, she pecked the woman on the cheek first, then the lips, "But I'll never stop loving you."  
"I could hurt you," Mirana said softly, her eyes lost in Alice's, the familiar fire in her champion's eyes was blazing now: but she would not give in without saying that.  
"You'll be hurting me more this way," Alice replied, taking in every aspect of Mirana's eyes, and back a little bit away while still embracing the queen, "And you'll be hurting yourself. I wonder... how do you really feel?"  
"If you must know, I'm terrified but I'm better than before," Mirana replied, admitting defeat and pulling Alice into a kiss, throughout the few seconds of bliss, she could feel the other woman's hands wiping away the last of her tears and with them, the last of her fear.  
"I take it this means we shouldn't be expecting any heirs then?" Chessur said with a grin as he appeared above the two, startling them a ways closer, then shocking them with his words.

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** A/N:** Just a fluffy little one-shot thought of months ago, half written then and finished at midnight (EST). I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, but if you didn't then that's okay too. I can't make people like something. Anyway, I'm just gonna stop typing now because my brain is fried and it's late so I'm gonna go to bed.


End file.
